Beginnings
by The Five
Summary: A look at the Five in their early days, spanning from Oxford to after they discover John is Jack the Ripper.
1. 1: First Day

**_Title: _**_Beginnings_

_**Summary: **A look at the Five in their early days, spanning from Oxford to after they discover John is Jack the Ripper. _

_**Notes: **My first attempt at fanfiction so I apologize if its no good, I've tried to keep it as canon and in character as possible but of course its not perfect. Spoiler warnings about "the five" and later about "Adam," this is only the first chapter by the way so please tell me if you think its any good or not. Also I do not own Sanctuary or any of the characters, stuff like that so don't sue me._

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"Excited my dear?" Gregory Magnus inquired happily of his daughter over breakfast.

"Yes," she agreed simply smiling from ear to ear, "being able to learn at Oxford, its a dream come true."

"Took a few favors but it is worth it, you deserve this Helen," he informed taking a sip of tea.

"Thank you father, I shan't let you down," she promised still unable to contain the bounding enthusiasm scrawled on her face, not that her father blamed her, as a woman he doubted she had ever expected to be allowed. It was a stupid rule in his opinion, Helen was just as and in fact smarter than a lot of men he knew and saw no reason why she shouldn't be given the opportunity to learn at Oxford.

"I'm sure your arrival will bring up quite a stir," he warned her, "ignore whatever imbeciles think you shouldn't be there."

"I don't think everyone is that narrow minded," she announced bravely, "John is glad I can study in Oxford, he will stand up for me."

"John isn't everyone," Gregory pointed out, slightly irritated by the way her face lit up at his name. He liked John well enough and had known him and the Druitt family for years of course but their closeness worried him at times, he was forced to admit that at least she wouldn't be completely alone in Oxford, "and he is your friend, of course he will think better of you."

"I shall be fine father," she brushed of his concerns, her smile unwavering, "when you return in a few weeks I will be top of the class."

"I'm sure you will," he agreed unable to not return her smile, "I will stay a few days to make sure you get settled in but I do have to return to my work."

"I know, maybe one day you will tell me about the work you do," Helen stated hopefully and his smile dimmed slightly, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted her to follow in his footsteps. Not because he didn't think she could but because he didn't want to dictate her life, he wanted her to have a choice. Learning of abnormals had changed his life, it wasn't something one could easily walk away from.

"Perhaps," he offered, "only time will tell."

"I just want to make you proud father," she told him finishing her food.

"I already am proud of you," he told her honestly and gently reached out to take her hand, "I'm certain you'll continue do me proud and if your mother was alive she'd feel the same. My greatest achievement will always be you Helen, you're destined for greatness my child and don't let anyone tell you differently."

"Thank you father, that means a lot to me," she whispered in reply squeezing his hand as tears of joy welled in her eyes.

"Now let's get you to Oxford," he announced pulling away and clapping his hands lest he be caught up in the emotion, besides he didn't want her to be late.

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Helen forced herself to take a slow calming breath as she admired the splendor of Oxford University, it was a marvelous building and she was caught up in the grandeur of simply the entrance. It was brimming with character and she felt nothing but admiration for such an institution, she stood drinking in the sight of it for a moment as she registered she would actually be studying here.

"Well hello there," a voice greeted her and she spun to face the odd accented speaker, slightly annoyed she hadn't noticed him approaching. He was tall and slender with brown hair, a mustache and sharp blue-gray eyes focusing on her intently with an amused expression on his handsome face, judging by his accent he wasn't British but he seemed to be a student nonetheless.

"Pleasure to meet you," she offered inclining her head and offering him a smile, "my name is-"

"Helen Magnus," the stranger finished her sentence for her, "the woman coming to study at Oxford, very interesting. No one told me you were attractive, if you're as smart as you are pretty then the pleasure is all mine."

"Thank you," Helen muttered finding herself blushing at the curious stranger's compliment, "Mister...?"

"Where are my manners?" the stranger mused smirking as he took a bow, "my name is Nikola Tesla."

"Well it's nice to meet you Mister Tesla," Helen offered appreciating the welcome as opposed to the cold reception she had been expecting but then he didn't seem like the most conventional person.

"Nikola please," he confirmed still smiling, "care for a tour?"

"Oh please Tesla," John snapped striding over and Helen smiled seeing her friend, "how can you offer Miss Magnus a tour when you're never actually in class?"

"I'm a genius," Nikola answered grandly despite scowling at John, "what's the point in coming to class when I already know the lesson? And that doesn't stop me from knowing where everything is."

"Why bother showing up at all?" John countered.

"You're just jealous of my genius," Nikola stated arrogantly.

"Jealous of you?" John scoffed, "that's hilarious."

"You just don't want to admit it," Nikola retorted smirking, "none of you do."

"Keep telling yourself that," John muttered rolling his eyes, "now if you don't mind I'm going to show Helen around."

"It was nice meeting you Nikola," Helen offered with a slight smile as John led her inside.

"Helen please, don't encourage him," John chided as Helen stared amazed the vast hall and the scattering of alumni inside it.

"What?" she murmured absentmindedly still engrossed in the architecture.

"Nikola Tesla is the most insufferable person in the entire university," John explained while she watched the other people scowling and shaking their heads, "you shouldn't encourage him to speak to you."

"I'm sure he's not that bad," Helen mused as she heard a few people muttering under their breaths about women being stupid.

"He's an obnoxious ass, arrogant, selfish, irritating... trust me he's not the sort of person you want to talk to," John explained leading her down one of the corridors along with others, the way she assumed was to her very first class.

"He didn't seem to mind I was a woman," she pointed out noting the dark glances she was getting from some and muffled laughter from others.

"Probably just desperate for attention because he bores of everybody hating him," John shrugged unimpressed, "he probably just likes you because of your physical beauty."

"Is that why you enjoy my company?" Helen wondered slyly smirking at her sudden speechless friend.

"I happen to think you are a very intelligent woman," John babbled and noticed him trying not to blush as he opened the door and led her into a half full classroom.

"You think I'm intelligent _for_ a woman or intelligent _and_ a woman?" she offered teasingly widening her grin at his discomfort.

"I-I-I is there even a right answer for this question?" John managed to reply as they sat down quietly at the back to which she laughed.

"So you're the woman attending Oxford," announced a man, she glanced up to see the dark haired bearded man eying her suspiciously.

"Yes I am, Helen Magnus," she greeted him pleasantly.

"The woman studying in Oxford?" another man snorted from his chair, "no offense love but studying is for men."

"Don't be so narrow minded Nigel," John chastised him, "Helen is extremely intelligent."

"I'm sure she's smarter than most women John," the man Nigel stated, "but men can't be as smart as women, everyone knows that."

"Well everyone is wrong," Helen announced stiffly shoving aside the niggling doubt in the back of her mind, she had just as much right to be here as everyone else and she had to believe that.

"Tell you what," Nigel offered smiling politely, "if you can prove you're intelligent then I'll take it back but in all honesty I think your just here because of your father, an unusual man."

"He's a brilliant doctor," Helen snapped defensive of her precious father.

"I know," Nigel agreed, "he is brilliant, but still unusual."

"Nothing wrong with unusual, " stated the dark haired man taking a seat in front of them, "I do apologize for my friend Miss Magnus, he means no disrespect. It's just hard to believe a woman can be as smart as a man, you have a lot to prove and I look forward to seeing how you fare in this institution."

"Thank you," Helen said inclining her head politely, "I think."

"My name is Watson by the way, James Watson," the dark haired man offered, "I could tell you'd prefer to have names to faces, most people do."

"How perceptive of you," Helen commented.

"That's what James is known for around here," John explained giving her a smile, "ready for your first class?"


	2. 2: Lunch

_**Notes: **This chapter is a long time in coming, I do apologize for the delay. Thank you to Heka Girl, melissaadams22, Mrs Marcus Volturi and Ty for reviewing. And my justification for having Helen and John know each other already is I heard somewhere that the real Montague John Druitt's father was a surgeon and since Gregory was a doctor I figure doctors run in the same kind of circles so they might have known each other and by extension their children know each other. Also I have no idea what it was like to be in Oxford University in Victorian England so I am sorry if its historically inaccurate but I tried my best.  
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"Wasn't that enlightening?" Helen asked rhetorically of John as they exited the classroom, "history is a most fascinating subject."

"Quite," John agreed bemused and gladdened that she seemed to be enjoying herself, personally he found Professor Ackerman's lectures incredibly boring but Helen was happy and that was all that mattered to him.

"It's amazing how drastically times can change," Helen continued happily, "how advanced medicine and technology have come, it makes you wonder in the years to come what could happen."

"I suppose," he mused thoughtfully.

"So where do we go for luncheon?" Helen inquired turning away from her excitement for a minute, "my next class isn't until after that."

"The University provide food," John explained, "or if you strongly disapprove we can leave the premises and go for a meal somewhere else."

"University food is fine John," Helen agreed offering him a smile, "lead the way."

"As the lady wishes," he replied returning her smile and obliging her request.

It was on the other site of the campus but he didn't mind the walk, not with Helen Magnus for company who was intrigued by the architecture and the artwork lining the walls. He was pleased she was enjoying herself so much, it made him feel slightly guilty that he was often bored by this place but pleased nonetheless. The only thing truly bothering him were the pretentious fools they passed in the corridors, snickering and muttering under their breath about how women were stupid which angered him.

If they actually knew Helen then they would be singing her praises right now rather than condemning her, it angered him to no end that they should speak that way about her. He couldn't even confront them about it because Helen being the confident, dignified women she was chose not to even justify their insults with a reply much to his admiration and annoyance.

They reached the food hall and he quickly found them a table before going to get their lunch, a modest helping of sandwiches with a few different flavors, for such a prestigious institution they spent very little on food he noted. Satisfied anyone he carried the plates of food back to the table only to nearly drop it when he saw none other than Nikola Tesla sitting chatting with her, infuriated he forced himself to calm before striding back over to them.

"Hey Johnny," Tesla greeted him with an irritating smirk, "come join us, Helen was just telling me about her first class."

"Its Mister Druitt to you Tesla," he announced darkly sitting beside Helen and placing the plates in front of them.

"Whatever you say Johnny," the Serbian retorted much to John's irritation, he knew Tesla was deliberating baiting him as the 'genius' seemed to find it incredibly amusing just to get on anyone's nerves.

"Well it was nice seeing you Tesla," John forced himself to say as polite as he could manage between clenched teeth, "but I didn't bring you any food so I'm afraid you'll have to leave. Now."

"I can get my own food," Tesla stated standing up stiffly.

"What did I tell you about encouraging him?" John complained when Tesla was out of earshot, "he's like a stray dog, give him attention and he'll keep coming back for more."

"John that's entirely unfair," Helen retorted studying the sandwiches, "he's not a dog. He's an intelligent young man who is accepting of my intellect."

"He could just be pretending to be accepting," John pointed out.

"Why would he do that?" Helen snorted with dubitation.

"Why? You never know with him," John replied garishly to which she just rolled her eyes.

"You are jealous aren't you?" she implied choosing a sandwich and taking a bite.

"Me? Jealous? Of him? Of course not!" John protested feeling slightly offended even as he realized she was partially right, Tesla was smarter than him, younger, better looking, and it did worry him that Helen had taken a fancy to him.

She didn't actually reply just studied him curiously which nibbling her sandwich, he quickly followed suit and started on his own food. The bread was stale but the filling was actually quite delectable, he had almost forgotten about Tesla until the man reappeared and sat across the table from him with his own lunch.

"Who said you can sit here?" John demanded of the genius.

"I didn't realize I needed your permission," Tesla retorted.

"He doesn't," Helen intervened and motioned for him to sit which he triumphantly did.

"Lunch isn't bad," Tesla commented after taking a bite, "bread's always stale though."

"Isn't it just?" John sighed trying not to glare at his new rival.

"It's a shame they don't serve wine with it," Tesla continued seemingly half to himself.

"I've always preferred brandy myself," John retorted stiffly, "Helen?"

"I have no preference for one nor the other," she answered cryptically, "it depends entirely on the occasion."

John merely grunted in reply to her answer and tried to concentrate on eating his food, his eyes kept trying to glare at Tesla so he scanned the room thoughtfully instead. Much to his annoyance he could a few of his classmates nearby discussing how outrageous it was that a woman should be studying at Oxford, even if she was just auditing classes. For one of, if not the best University in England the students were surprisingly dim and narrow-minded in his opinion. He'd never much got on with all of their nonsense, Nigel Griffin was probably the only one who he found even remotely interesting and James Watson of course but then he was like an outsider, no one really cared for his perceptiveness and ideas.

James was the only person in the school he really considered a friend but unfortunately for John, his friend was keeping his distance for the time being, simply sitting quietly in the corner seemingly lost in thought. Vaguely he wondered whether this was because of his discomfort about Helen's gender or because of the fact the Tesla had taken a sudden interest in them.

"So do tell me Tesla," John decided to ask of the self-proclaimed genius, "since when did people become interesting to you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tesla replied suspiciously.

"Well usually you find pigeons to be of better company than us," he continued hoping he was making Tesla uncomfortable, "why the change?"

"Usually they are," Tesla answered carefully, "but its always nice to offer a welcome to a new student, the British are not the most welcoming of peoples."

"I'd have to disagree with that," John stated feeling the need to defend his nationality.

"Oh really?" Tesla scoffed raising an eyebrow, "have you listened to the amount of times old Ben there has used the words 'ridiculous,' 'women' and 'Oxford' in the same sentence?"

"I would guess a lot," Helen offered blandly, "just out of curiosity Mister Tesla, why are you so... accepting of me?"

"Because women aren't nearly as stupid as we're led to believe," Tesla explained, "my Mother is one of the smartest people I know, and my sisters are far from stupid. I've only had two conversations with you and I can already see you're intelligent, just because society has dictated every woman is stupid and every man is smart that does not make it so. "

"Well said Mister Tesla," Helen agreed giving him a slight smile, "I'm impressed."

"Well you should be," Tesla replied smirking, "genius, remember?"


	3. 3: Mathematics

_**Notes: **Thanks to melissaadams22 for reviewing. Yeah I realize that they come across as kind of OOC in this but they are meant to be younger and less burdened by everything. The stuff about Oxford is true and yes the math is just completely made up  
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"So what class is next?" Helen asked enthusiastically when the trio had finished their lunch, "biology? Literature? Physics? Natural histo-"

"Mathematics I believe," Nikola answered recalling the tedious class, it was too easy for him really.

"Excellent," Helen exclaimed cheerfully, "shall we go then gentleman?"

"Of course," John agreed hurriedly rushing to pull out Helen's chair for her.

"Follow me then," Nikola offered leading the pair.

He wasn't quite sure why he was doing this, John had been right about him not usually hanging around with the other alumni. He always found them so hard to relate to, most to all of them had come from well off families with money while he was not and then there was the fact that they all bored him, not only did they lack intelligence but they acted pretty much the same as each other. Helen on the other hand was different, in a good way and he couldn't help but take a sudden liking to her.

"Did you know that the school motto is Dominus Illuminatio Mea?" Helen told them excitedly, "its Latin for-"

"The Lord is My Light," Nikola finished her sentence for her, "the opening words to Psalm 27. And did you know that there is no clear founding date either? The earliest recorded use of this is building is in-"

"1096," Helen interjected and he couldn't help but smile, "we are walking in a building that is almost a minimum of 800 years old."

"Fascinating," John announced unconvincingly.

"Trivia boring you Johnny?" Nikola retorted to which John sighed.

"Can you please not call me Johnny?" John replied tiredly.

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

"It's not my name, my name is John Druitt," John explained patiently, "in this country we tend to refer to people by their actual names."

"Wasn't your first name Montague rather than John?" Nikola commented recalling the fact.

"How would you like it if I called you... Nik-o-la...y?" John invented and he heard Helen snort with suppressed laughter.

"I wouldn't mind," Nikola informed him smirking, "it just makes you sound like a moron while I'm still a genius."

"Hey genius you've just taken a wrong turn," John pointed out making Nikola pause and realize he was right.

"I was intending to take Helen through a more scenic route," Nikola lied hoping he wasn't blushing with embarrassment.

"That direction leads to the exit, _genius_," John taunted as they turned back to the correct path.

"Alright, hush Monty," Nikola hissed.

"Fine call me Johnny if you want to," John gave in frustrated.

"How old are you two?" Helen wondered bemused.

"We're here," Nikola announced changing the subject as they entered professor Bedford's classroom.

Nikola suppressed an eye roll as he surveyed the classroom, idiot students lined the seats engrossed in semi bored conversation with each other while the rather plump middle aged man known as Professor Bedford sat at his desk munching away on an apple and continually checking the time on his gleaming golden pocket watch. He looked up at them as they arrived, his unusual violet eyes registering a mixture of surprise and disgust at the newcomers.

"Well Mister Tesla, nice of you to show up," he greeted him blandly before turning his attention to Helen, "and Miss Magnus. The woman studying at Oxford, I remind you that you are merely auditing classes. Nothing you say or do will go towards any kind of grades, if you feel the need to join in the work than I will mark it but not grade at it as you do not matter. Assuming you can read of course."

"I assure you I can read Professor Bedford," Helen retorted seemingly ignoring the laughter of the class and Bedford's self-satisfied smirk, "and I understand that I will not get any credit for my work despite how unfair a rule that is."

"Come on," Nikola muttered deciding to just ignore it also before John started punching people, which seemed likely considering the infuriated look scrawled across his face.

He led them to near the back which was where the empty seats were, Helen sat down beside him and John on her other side. He hoped as much for Helen's sake as his own that the lesson might actually be interesting for once, much to his disappointment however when Bedford had finally finished his apple and began his boring drawl, Nikola noted he was actually doing the equation wrong, why such an allegedly brilliant school hired math teachers who couldn't actually do math was behind him. He simply slouched in his seat disinterested and tried not to stare at Helen who was scowling at the chalkboard.

"Penny for your thoughts," Nikola whispered offering her a coin with a sly smile.

"He's writing the equation wrong," Helen pointed out giving him a puzzled look.

"I know," Nikola noted spinning the coin on the desk.

"Well aren't you going to say something?" Helen wondered snatching the coin from him.

"Why bother?" he asked of her shrugging.

"How is the equation wrong?" John wondered glancing between the pair of them.

"Fine," Helen hissed raising her hand politely, "excuse me Professor Bedford?"

"I'm sorry, is this beyond your intelligence Miss Magnus?" Bedford retorted instantly with a triumphant grin eliciting more laughter from the narrow minded drones he taught.

"No," Helen answered firmly, "I merely wanted to point out that you are doing the equation wrong."

"How do you get that?" Bedford asked raising a hairy eyebrow doubtfully.

"Firstly Pi is 3.14159 not 3.11459, secondly you cannot multiply it by y, it has to be x," Helen reeled off confidently, "or else you would be working out a completely different number to the one you've got, you forgot to factor in the exact degree of the angle oh and you didn't carry the one."

"She's right you know," Nikola pointed out almost smirking at the stunned looks she was receiving as Professor Bedford snapped his attention back to the equation to figure out that she was right.

"She is right," agreed James Watson and Nikola glanced at the perceptive student.

"I know," Bedford snapped red faced and continued in a blatantly obvious lie, "I did the equation wrong intentionality to see if any of you were paying attention and apparently some of you were. Well done to Miss Magnus and Misters Tesla and Watson for point that out to the class. Let that be a lesson to you, don't not listen to me when I am talking to you or you will be outsmarted by a woman. Class dismissed."

"I resent that," Helen muttered darkly as they all rose to leave and began shuffling out of the classroom.

"Ignore him Miss Magnus," Watson offered giving her an approving smile, "you've won a great victory today."

"Why thank you," Helen replied seeming to cheer up slightly.

"We should be thanking you for completely humiliating Bedford," Nikola informed her brightly, "most worthwhile mathematics class I have ever attended."


End file.
